Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Marrakech?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Marrakech or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Marrakech or Essaouira? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Marrakech or Essaouira?
Marrakech
Marrakech is on of the most popular travel destinations in Morocco. It is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat and is located near the foothills of the Atlas Mountains only a few hours from the Sahara Desert. It's a beautiful city that is often referred to as the "Pink City" because of the pale pink color of many of the city's buildings. These striking colors make the city particularly beautiful during the evening hours when the low sun creates a very dramatic lighting.
Essaouira
Essaouira is a beautiful beach town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The city has a pleasant medina that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site and is interesting to explore. It's an 18th century fortified town with a lot of character and charm. The city is rich and culture and you'll find a handful of art galleries throughout the town. The city is also a gathering place for artists and musicians, particularly during the Gnaoua Festival of World Music, which takes place the last week of June. This event attracts about 450,000 visitors yearly.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco, The Best 2-Week Tours in Morocco, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Morocco.
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Marrakech Prices
Morocco PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMarrakech $103Essaouira $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Marrakech is $103, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $62. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Marrakech and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMarrakech $59Essaouira $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMarrakech $118Essaouira $58
Compare Hotels in Marrakech and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Marrakech or Essaouira? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Marrakech Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Marrakech $14Essaouira $2.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech
Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Essaouira Day Trip From Marrakech With Private Transfers: $274
- "Marrakech to Chefchaouen: Your Exclusive Private Transfer": $270
- From Marrakech : Private Transfer to Fes : $263
- "Marrakech to Fes: Your Private Transfer for a Smooth Journey": $260
- Asni private transfer from Asni city to Agadir airport (AGA): $252
- Private transfer from marrakech to casablanca airport or center city: $249
- Marrakech To Fez Private Transfer : $247
- Private Comfortable Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira: $238
- Private Transfer Agadir airport - Marrakech: $238
- Private Transfer: Marrakech to Agadir// or Agadir to Marrakech: $238
- Private & Comfortable Transfer from Marrakech city To Essaouira (6 persons): $238
- Private Transfer From Marrakech To Fez: $226
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech : $114
- Transfer from Essaouira to your Riad or Hotel in Marrakech: $179
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $127
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $127
- Transfer Airport Essaouira Mogador : $24
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $114
- Private transfer Essaouira to Marrakech or Marrakech / essaouira : $119
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Essaouira Airport: $23
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport : $40
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport : $36
- Essaouira P5: Quad EN route DE la mer (free transfer): $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Marrakech or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Marrakech change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayMarrakech $29Essaouira $26
Typical Food Prices in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Orange Juice on the Square$0.33
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Breakfast$1.33
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Dates$0.66
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Olives$1.00
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Sandwich$1.43
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Souvenir Spices$6.86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Marrakesh: Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride, Dinner and Show: $9.00
- Sunset Dinner in the Agafay Desert: $10
- Agafay Desert Dinner, Camel Ride & Quad Biking.: $12
- Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner Show – From Marra: $12
- Agafay Desert Quad & Camel Rides with Dinner Show: $12
- Marrakech Agafay Camel ride,Dinner , Fire Show: $12
- Camel Ride in the Agafay Desert, Dinner and Fire Show: $12
- Agafay Desert: Camel ride, dinner and fire show: $12
- Agafay Desert Sunset Camel Ride with Dinner in Camp: $13
- Morocco's Top Cooking Classes For Authentic berber Cuisine in the Atlas Mountain: $13
- Agafay Desert Sunset Camel Ride and Dinner Experience: $13
- Camel Ride at Marrakech Desert Agafy with Dinner: $13
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.55
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Breakfast Crepes$0.55
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Fish for Lunch$17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $42
- Essaouira Sunset Experience, Waterfall Walk & Romantic Dinner: $43
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $71
- Essaouira Food Tour: $88
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $220
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Marrakech $11Essaouira $13
Typical Entertainment Prices in Marrakech
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Marrakech's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Palace Tickets$2.21
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Golf at Atlas Golf$63
Tours and Activities in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3-Day Berber Experience & Hiking in the High Atlas Mountains: $268
- 3-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Experience and Camel Trekking: $131
- 7-Day Morocco Tour from Marrakech: $69
- Agafay Desert Adventure Quad Camel Ride and Magical Evening: $60
- Best Private Shopping Tour In the Souks of Marrakech: $48
- Experience Moroccan Hammam and Massage: $119
- Experience Spa Hammam Massage and Camel tour: $113
- Experience the desert nomads in Marrakech!: $30
- From Ouzoud Waterfalls Guided Tour & Boat Ride: $28
- Full Day Guided Tour in Ouzoud Waterfalls : $30
- Half-Day Quad Bike Experience in Marrakech: $45
- Hot Air Balloon Adventure over Marrakesh and Atlas Mountains: $214
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Big Cap Sim dunes and forest 3 hours tour.: $76
- 1 Day Horseback Riding Tour with Overnight Stay in Berber Tent: $298
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Forest Beach: $42
- 1-Day Quad Adventure in Essaouira near Marrakech: $211
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $54
- 3-Hour Quad Biking Adventure in Essaouira: $89
- Authentic Berber Tour near Essaouira – Fishing,Tagine & Waterfall: $71
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $62
- Day Tour on Dromedary and Overnight Stay Near Essaouira Morocco: $298
- Discovery Tour around Essaouira by Electric Motorcycle: $115
- Essaouira Dar Sultan Palace Horseback Tour Experience: $54
- Essaouira Donkey Tours : $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMarrakech $10Essaouira $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Marrakech
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marrakech:
- Marrakech Nightlife Adventure: The Ultimate Pub Crawl: $26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Marrakech and Essaouira, we can see that Marrakech is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Essaouira would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Essaouira and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Marrakech would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Marrakech than you might in Essaouira.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Marrakech Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Marrakech or Essaouira?
Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Marrakech and Essaouira, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.